River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-06-02
LESSON IN ANATOMY.

IL was at Naples that the incident
occurred of which / am about to speak,
said Gen. Gerald as he seated himself
at a table in the Napolino Club room
and lighted cigar. It was many years
ago and when was very much younger
man than ] am At present, but | have
only to close my eyes and the place
the scene, even to its smallest detail
is before me rs distinctly as upon the
day il happened.
The name Of the principal actor inn
plcated in the horrible affair | with
hold for obvious reasons, but | will say
that he was well known physician,
celebrated in the profession of medicine
and scientific surgery, and that he is
dead. He died regretted, beloved, aud
honored by all who knew him, though
it might have been otherwise, in spite
of his generous and kindly nature, had
everything been told but ! am getting
too far ahead in the story.
In the winter of 1850, the General
continued, addressing the group of
gentlemen gathered about the table
with him, most of them in the semi
official dress of men who have at one
time served in the army, business called
me to the city of Naples. had been
there six months or more when acct
dent brought me the acquaintance of
Pietro Gonzalez. youth from the Island
of Calabres. who had come to the
Capital of the Two Sicilies for the the
purpose of devoting himself to the pro-
fesson of advocate. Pietro detested
the profession of advocate, was wholly
untitled for it, in fact, and had adopted
it only to crafty the wishes of his
father. However, ut the time that
met him he had given it up and was
going through course of medical
studies a. conscientiOusly, even though
rs perfunctorily, pursued as the former
course of law.
Perhaps you are not aware of it, but
it is nevertheless true that the parents
of the youth of Italy, particularly of
Naples, whether Of the higher or of
the middle classes of society. recog-
nize but two suitable careers for their
sons-one the bar, the other medicine
the .'liberal professions rs they call
them-and so fax do they carry the
periudice that u young man who
persists in the choice Of profession
Immediately turned out of doors by his
parents, the ceremony being accom-
panied by appropriate maledictions.
Under the circumstances it is not re-
markable that Neapolitan circles are
singularly lacking in notable architects,
authors, poets. and painters, and singu-
larry overcrowded in other directions;
but to return.
A warm and close intimacy had
gradually established itself between
Gonzalez and myself. One day, meet
ing him in the street on his way to one
of his interminable lectures. he invited
me TO accompany him. With little
y
tried to get out of it, preferring to
study the structure of the human body
from books of physiology, or. better
still. from living beings. 1t was not as
realistic, of course, but sufficiently in
structive for one whose business re-
quired him to make instead of mangling
corpses. Overrulod ut last by Peitr S
persistency, but still against my will, |
consented to 90 with him.
No, decidedly. | have not forgotten
the scene which chance or fatality
made me a witness of, nor the theatre
of its occurrences; but when | say
theatre. do not use the right word
would be more correct.
for we were in the dissecting-roOm of
the Hospital DIES lncurables, cruel
and sinister name for the unfortunate
ones brought there to be treated.
Pietro told me as we walked along
that DR. X, we will call him, for the
sake of convenience, the physician to
whom | referred while ago, was not
to deliver one of his usual public lee
lures. but "A semi-private lesson in anat-
omy to a dozen or 50 of his best pupils,
OF course, by the scapel.
As favorite OF the doctors, Pietro was
permitted to bring a friend
with him. He had invited-nay, more
than that-he had kidnapped me. .
The huge, circular hall appropriated
to the making of autopsies in the Hos
pital DIES Incurables was lighted i had
forgotten to say that it was a night lee
re-by "A large and peculiarly con-
structed lantern hanging low from the
center of the ceiling. A powerful UNI
reflector, supported upon
an upright, was 50 arranged above the
lantern as to throw all the light from
the burners down upon a marble table
standing just beneath it. The rest of
the lugubrious apartment was plunged
in black obscurity.
The class of students was already |
when we entered the dissect-
ing-room, talking, laughing, and |
rallying each other With the levity of |
youth, and at the moment |
Of orr arrival two of the hospital at |
PENDANTS were bringing in the body, |
the subject of the coming lecture.
wrapped in an old and dingy shroud. |
Judging from the painting and pulling |
If the men, theirritatirg shuttle of their |
feet upon the floor. and the haste with |
which they tHmbled 4 upon the slab,
he subject was in IN unusually TO |
bust condition.
A moment later the doctor entered |
he room and with courteous inclina-
ion IN the direction o. the students at
,nce approached the table.
Il will occupy your attention this
evening, gentlemen, lie began, care
July uncoverng the body and serutin-
ling it closely. '.with the organs Of
respiration, and. as you see, the subject
before us is particularly well adapted to
display their wonderful mechanism |
lie is young, perfccty-fOrmcd, and
what is more essential still, has not died |
rom any disease either of the tachea,
bronchial tubes, or the hngs. We shall
therefore, be able to see these organs IN
IN entirely natural sate. We shall
,egin with physiology pathology will
% low in its turn.
The doctor said all this in a sort of
a. he drew from his satchel
case of instruments, and from the
,ase of instruments a superb scapeL
The students gathered about the table
With that expectancy of look, that eager
attention shown by all true seekers after
1t was not amusing, ! can
assure YOU, but since | was there ] did